Stealing A Moment Away
by Jedi Knight Ryan
Summary: (Pre-DAI) Birthday fic for a friend. Alistair knew this day would come where he'd have to say goodbye, but he figured he'd get one last moment alone with her before his warden leaves to find a cure for the calling.


**Wow, has it been a long time since I wrote on here. This one-shot is dedicated to a dear friend of mine who is celebrating her birthday today, MoonSword1994. This is based on her story "To Become a Grey Warden." Using her Warden Yvaine Cousland which she has full right to, otherwise, all other characters, universes and locations belong to Bioware.**

 **Stealing a Moment Away**

 _He knows she's leaving, and all he wants to do is put the court aside, put the kingdom of Ferelden aside and just be with the woman he loves one more time before she leaves._

It all started with a letter waiting for her on the vanity, the only reason she found it was because she had grabbed a pendant that once belonged to her late mother with the Cousland family crest on it. After her brother Fergus became Teryn of Highever, he found it in the bedchambers that once belonged to their parents and were occupied at the time by one of Arl Howe's top generals, Fergus made it imperative to send it to Yvaine as a good luck charm. She sat down on the bed and opened the letter, a smile spread across her face as she read the handwriting.

 _My love,_

 _I know I cannot talk you out of this. When Leliana gave you this tip on this research, I have not seen that much spark and fire in you then the day we were married. I swear, the fire in your eyes I thought you only possessed when we were…I think I'm getting off track here._

 _Anyway, I know me being on the throne is what we agreed on, but I'm hoping to get a moment away with you before you leave. I am not going to tell you where I am heading, but it is where we first met._

 _I hope to see you soon,_

 _Alistair_

Yvaine shook her head "Alistair, you lovesick farm boy." She slipped her belt on carrying her sword and quickly left their bedchambers.

Redcliffe.

It was at one point the place he called home for ten years, Arl Eamon raised him under his father's orders to ensure he didn't conflict with Cailian's claim to the throne of Ferelden. While he never understood why Maric did what he did, it took him a long time to forgive his biological father, it wasn't until after his appointment as King and meeting Maric in Antiva City and they met for the first time and he had to end his own father's life.

He had set up in the stables in Redcliffe's main entrance, requesting his Uncle Tegan, who had taken over the castle two years ago, clear the area and move the horses to another stable, Alistair was certain Master Dennet's replacement Thomas wouldn't mind at all considering he used to work these stables.

The hooves of a horse approach was the only sound heard for miles, then a dismount and before Alistair knew it, he was face to face with his wife.

"Nice choice for a romantic getaway." Yvaine smiled at him as Alistair stood, gently taking her hands in his and kissing her cheek

"What can I say? Romance was never my strong suit." He gently broke away from her, taking a few feet back "I knew stopping you from going was the one thing I couldn't do, so I figured why not try and get one last moment with you."

"Alistair…." Yvaine smile lingered and seemed to grow bigger, no matter what, he always knew how to do that, bring out the happiness in her "You didn't have to do this."

"No, I wanted to." He finally faced her, in front of the politicians he wore a mask, a hardened veteran of the blight who didn't take anything from anyone, but in private, especially these moments with Yvaine, he was able to take that mask off, so she could see the same man she travelled with during the Blight…and the stable boy who saved her life.

"Most me wants to go with you on this, be like we were seven years ago and face any danger that comes our way. But…I know you want me to stay here, because you don't want to lose me. Well, I don't want to lose you, I am terrified of what you will find out there, who will try to kill you, we made a lot of enemies in our lives Vaine and I know deep down I cannot continue being King without you in my life. I told you after the Blight was over that we would never change, and I meant it." Alistair felt his heart break at this confession "I know you want that perfect life for us without this Maker be damned curse, but, I would much rather die with you fighting Darkspawn in the deep roads then wonder if you're ever going to come back."

She couldn't speak, when she told Alistair of her plan to travel out of Ferelden to find a cure for the Calling, she didn't anticipate how hurt this was going to make Alistair. He had been so different after meeting Goldana that she wasn't anticipating he would suddenly break now that she was going to leave.

"Alistair, nothing would make me happier then to have you come with me, and trust me, it pains me to be away from you too. But you know Ferelden depends on you more than it does me, I was away from the court for years when I was Warden Commander, so they won't miss me, sure the noblemen's wives will, but they won't." She chuckled at that, thinking back on all the times the leaders of noble houses in Ferelden always seemed…. shocked at seeing the Queen nothing at all compared to Anora "I will be back, I promise you. Nothing will take me away from that perfect life we promised each other."

"Then allow me to say my Queen, that your King," Alistair approached again, grabbing Yvaine's hand and pulling her into a lover's embrace "will march the whole army of Ferelden to whoever would take you away from me, with me leading the pack."

"Hopefully you won't be swooping down upon them." She teased

"Yes, swooping is bad isn't it?" He leaned in and gently caught her in a kiss

No matter what seemed to hit them, from the Blight, to Loghain, to time and growing up, how they felt about each other, the love they felt was something that many would call childhood dreams, but they didn't care at all, all they cared about was having each other because in the end, their marriage was more than political gain or court intrigue, it was love, unmeasurable love and no matter what, Alistair would keep going, because it would be what she would have to do if it was him that was leaving for a journey.

"By the way Yvaine, happy birthday."

She smiled and let herself lean backwards, bringing them down into a hay mound, similar circumstances to when they were children "I love you Alistair."

"I love you too."


End file.
